diff --git a/libretro-common/include/queues/task_queue.h b/libretro-common/include/queues/task_queue.h
index aaed4ea30e..3e182c755e 100644
--- a/libretro-common/include/queues/task_queue.h
+++ b/libretro-common/include/queues/task_queue.h
@@ -114,10 +114,15 @@ struct retro_task
    /* task identifier */
    uint32_t ident;
 
-   /* frontend userdata 
+   /* frontend userdata
     * (e.g. associate a sticky notification to a task) */
    void *frontend_userdata;
 
+   /* if set to true, frontend will
+   use an alternative look for the
+   task progress display */
+   bool alternative_look;
+
    /* don't touch this. */
    retro_task_t *next;
 };
diff --git a/menu/widgets/menu_widgets.c b/menu/widgets/menu_widgets.c
index 8c096347ec..44d466dc31 100644
--- a/menu/widgets/menu_widgets.c
+++ b/menu/widgets/menu_widgets.c
@@ -448,7 +448,6 @@ static bool menu_widgets_msg_queue_push_internal(retro_task_t *task, const char
 
          if (task->title != msg_widget->task_title_ptr)
          {
-            menu_animation_ctx_entry_t entry;
             unsigned len         = strlen(task->title);
             unsigned new_width   = font_driver_get_message_width(font_regular, task->title, len, msg_queue_text_scale_factor);
 
@@ -460,15 +459,24 @@ static bool menu_widgets_msg_queue_push_internal(retro_task_t *task, const char
             msg_widget->task_title_ptr             = task->title;
             msg_widget->msg_transition_animation   = 0;
 
-            entry.easing_enum = EASING_OUT_QUAD;
-            entry.tag = (uintptr_t) NULL;
-            entry.duration = MSG_QUEUE_ANIMATION_DURATION*2;
-            entry.target_value = msg_queue_height/2.0f;
-            entry.subject = &msg_widget->msg_transition_animation;
-            entry.cb = msg_widget_msg_transition_animation_done;
-            entry.userdata = msg_widget;
+            if (!task->alternative_look)
+            {
+               menu_animation_ctx_entry_t entry;
 
-            menu_animation_push(&entry);
+               entry.easing_enum = EASING_OUT_QUAD;
+               entry.tag = (uintptr_t) NULL;
+               entry.duration = MSG_QUEUE_ANIMATION_DURATION*2;
+               entry.target_value = msg_queue_height/2.0f;
+               entry.subject = &msg_widget->msg_transition_animation;
+               entry.cb = msg_widget_msg_transition_animation_done;
+               entry.userdata = msg_widget;
+
+               menu_animation_push(&entry);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+               msg_widget_msg_transition_animation_done(msg_widget);
+            }
 
             msg_widget->task_count++;
 
diff --git a/tasks/task_database.c b/tasks/task_database.c
index 4a5e0e8548..4bf1fee131 100644
--- a/tasks/task_database.c
+++ b/tasks/task_database.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  *  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
+#include <math.h>
 #include <compat/strcasestr.h>
 #include <compat/strl.h>
 #include <retro_miscellaneous.h>
@@ -151,8 +152,10 @@ static int task_database_iterate_start(retro_task_t *task,
    if (!string_is_empty(msg))
    {
 #ifdef RARCH_INTERNAL
-      runloop_msg_queue_push(msg, 1, 180, true, NULL,
-            MESSAGE_QUEUE_ICON_DEFAULT, MESSAGE_QUEUE_CATEGORY_INFO);
+      task_free_title(task);
+      task_set_title(task, strdup(msg));
+      if (db->list->size != 0)
+         task_set_progress(task, roundf((float)db->list_ptr / (float)db->list->size * 100.0f));
 #else
       fprintf(stderr, "msg: %s\n", msg);
 #endif
@@ -1208,8 +1211,6 @@ static void task_database_handler(retro_task_t *task)
             db->handle = database_info_file_init(db->fullpath, DATABASE_TYPE_ITERATE, task);
       }
 
-      task_free_title(task);
-
       if (db->handle)
          db->handle->status = DATABASE_STATUS_ITERATE_BEGIN;
    }
@@ -1296,14 +1297,14 @@ static void task_database_handler(retro_task_t *task)
          }
          else
          {
+#ifdef RARCH_INTERNAL
+            task_set_progress(task, 100);
+#else
             const char *msg = NULL;
             if (db->is_directory)
                msg = msg_hash_to_str(MSG_SCANNING_OF_DIRECTORY_FINISHED);
             else
                msg = msg_hash_to_str(MSG_SCANNING_OF_FILE_FINISHED);
-#ifdef RARCH_INTERNAL
-            runloop_msg_queue_push(msg, 0, 180, true, NULL, MESSAGE_QUEUE_ICON_DEFAULT, MESSAGE_QUEUE_CATEGORY_INFO);
-#else
             fprintf(stderr, "msg: %s\n", msg);
 #endif
             ui_companion_driver_notify_refresh();
@@ -1365,6 +1366,7 @@ bool task_push_dbscan(
    t->state                  = db;
    t->callback               = cb;
    t->title                  = strdup(msg_hash_to_str(MSG_PREPARING_FOR_CONTENT_SCAN));
+   t->alternative_look       = true;
 
    db->show_hidden_files     = db_dir_show_hidden_files;
    db->is_directory          = directory;